[StBernard] Landrieu, Homeland Security Committee Consider Nomination of FEMA #2

[Westley Annis]

Landrieu, Homeland Security Committee Consider Nomination of FEMA #2 Admiral
faces questions on formaldehyde in trailers, fake press conference; Backs
Landrieu school recovery plan.

 

WASHINGTON - The United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Governmental Affairs today held a hearing on the nomination of Vice Admiral
Harvey E. Johnson, Jr., to serve as Deputy Administrator of the Federal
Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  Senator Mary L. Landrieu, D-La., a
member of the committee and Chairman of the Subcommittee on Disaster
Recovery, informed Admiral Johnson that she is not prepared to support his
nomination without a clear commitment that he will reform FEMA and ensure
that it is prepared for future catastrophic disasters.

"I am not prepared to support either nomination at this point until I am
confident that you are both the agents of change that you claim to be," Sen.
Landrieu said, referring to Admiral Johnson and Jeffrey William Runge,
President Bush's nominee for Assistant Secretary of Health Affairs and Chief
Medical Officer for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security.  "The country
desperately deserves a new FEMA.  It's not ready to handle a catastrophic
disaster.  This senator is not going to support business as usual."

Sen. Landrieu questioned Admiral Johnson on FEMA's recent decision to
postpone formaldehyde testing of the agency's temporary trailers that are
currently being used to house victims of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.
Earlier this month, Sen. Landrieu and Disaster Recovery Subcommittee Ranking
Member Ted Stevens, R-Alaska, sent a letter to FEMA Administrator R. David
Paulison asking the agency to resume testing to ensure that the trailers are
safe.  Admiral Johnson testified today that the agency has plans to begin
testing a sample of their trailers.

"Your department has issued rulings that the only time you have a problem is
if the trailers are locked up," Sen. Landrieu said, "but in cold weather,
people don't leave their doors and windows open.  Sen. Stevens and I sent a
letter to FEMA urging you to resume testing.  I hope that FEMA and HUD and
this Administration are ready to deal with the results. If these trailers
are dangerous, then this government is required to come up with an alternate
plan."

During her questioning of Admiral Johnson, Sen. Landrieu asked if Admiral
Johnson supports language that she inserted into the Homeland Security
Appropriations Bill that allows school districts impacted by Hurricanes
Katrina and Rita to receive a single FEMA payment to rebuild schools. School
districts have had to go through FEMA's complicated Public Assistance
process on a building-by-building basis.

"Are you testifying that you are supportive of that new approach that is
approved by this Committee, and are you willing to push it through?" Sen.
Landrieu asked.

"Absolutely," Admiral Johnson answered.  "One of our highest agenda items of
all the PWs is to focus on education.  I think we have done that with your
urging, and I think we have got some good results with the State to show for
that."

During the hearing, Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., questioned Admiral Johnson on
his participation in a staged October news conference in which he took
questions from his own staff pretending to be reporters.  Homeland Security
Department Secretary Michael Chertoff referred to the incident as "one of
the dumbest and most inappropriate things I've ever seen."

"If I had a press conference and walked in and my staff was asking me one
question, red flags would go up," Sen. Tester said.  "Your resume indicates
you're a leader.  Your history - 38 years in public service - indicates
you're a leader.  Why didn't you just say, 'hold it, what's going on?'"

In October, Sen. Landrieu sent a letter to FEMA Administrator R. David
Paulison seeking an explanation for the press conference.

"It has come to my attention that a member of your staff, Vice Admiral
Harvey E. Johnson, this week held a press conference on the Federal
Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) response to the wildfires engulfing
southern California," Sen. Landrieu wrote.  "I am disappointed to learn that
Adm. Johnson misled the press and the public by taking questions from his
own staff pretending to be reporters and that the agency did not disclose
this misrepresentation."

During today's hearing, Sen. Landrieu relayed to Admiral Johnson a survey
recently conducted by the University of New Orleans that indicates
overwhelming disapproval of FEMA throughout the country.

"We have a long way to go," Sen. Landrieu said.  "There's some good news and
bad news in this survey.  The bad news for FEMA is that more than 80 percent
of the people surveyed nationwide have a very negative impression of the
leadership under Michael Brown, and they are not that familiar with the new
leadership.  In their mind, it's the same old FEMA, and they don't like it
and want it changed.

"The other interesting information in this survey is that more than 62
percent of people around the country are willing to do more.  Despite the
fact that more than $110 billion has been spent this survey indicates that
people are willing to do more because they recognize that it was the Federal
Government primarily that failed."

The full report is available online at http://tinyurl.com/2mef6z.

"I appreciate your willingness to serve, but my vote will hinge solely on
whether you both are agents of change or whether you're just there to
continue the status quo," Sen. Landrieu concluded.

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